Display apparatus.



C. G. MILLER.

DISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1913.

Pateted Au 1 15.

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C. G. MILLER.

DISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13. 1913.

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nmen sra'rns ra'rnnr oriucn CLIFFORD G, MILLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIG1\ R TO THE UNDERSELLER COMPANY, ING., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPOBATION OF-NEW YORK.

DISPLAY APPAEATUS.

me es&

Specificaton of Letters Patent.

` v Patentcd Aug'. 17,'1915.

Application filed September 13, 1913. Serial No. '789,607.

To azz whom it may conccrn Be it known that I, CLIFFORD G. MILLER, a,citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of NewYork and State of New York, hare invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Display Apparatus; and I do hereby declare thefollowingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilledin. the art to which it appertains tomakeand use the same.

This nvention relates to improvements in display apparatus, and has asits essential object the production of a novelty designed and adaptedespecially for attracting the attention and arousing the curiosity ofprospective purchasers.

lVith this and other detail objects in View, as willin part behereinafter ponted out and in part become a'pparent, the inventioncomprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements ofparts as subthe plate-glass show-window of a store or shop, and to theoutside surface of said plate lS cemented or otherwise' appropriatelyfixed an annular housing 2 whose'interior is formed into a circularspace in which is disposed a disk 3 forned of soft iron or othermagnetic substance, the said disk being free 'to be shifted within thehousing toward and away from the plate 1.

To insure maintenance of the disk 3 spaced" to the farthest extentpermitted -by 'the' housing from the plate 1, a spring 4 is interposedbetween the plate and the disk 3. An appropriate button 5 engages thedisk 3 and eXtends through an aperture in the housing 2 for enabling anoperator to press disk 3 toward plate 1 against the tension of spring 4.As a convenient means of' manufacture, the button 5 is preferablystamped Fig. 1 is an enlarged, detail from the material of disk 3, thebutton being therefore hollow, and the spring 4 hava case 6,suspendedupon a cable 7, or otherwise appropriately supported with thefront of the case 6 Contacting with the inner face of plate l, the casebeing opened toward the plate. A cross piece 8 is fixed within thecasing 6 and sustained by said cross piece 8 is an electrical motor 9 ofany ordinary and conventional type, the armature of which has its shaft10 extending beyond the regular bearings of the motor, the outer endportion of the shaft end extending centrally through a disk 11, the diskbeing appropriately locked onto the shaft by nuts or other convenientattaching means. The inner face of the plate, is preferably painted orcoated with opaque material throughout that portion corresponding to theoutline of the outermost parts of the case 6,

and the presence of this opaque substance is e indicated in Fig. 1 bythe showing in dotted linos of parts which would otherwise appear infull lines. By preference, however, segments or other appropriateportions of the plate 1 immediately in front of the disk 11 are lefttransparent as indicated at 12-12 and 13 13. The disk 11 may be of anysubstance, but is preferably opaque, and is provided on its front facewith colored insignia, such as a star 14, or other design adapted toattract attention of one standing on the outside of the window, when thestar or other design is partly exposed through the transparent portions12 and 13, the appearance being rendered especially attractive when thedisk 11 is revolved by the operation ofthe motor 9.

One binding post of motor 9 is connected by a conductor 16 to a bindingpost 17 carriedby one side'ofthe case 6, aconductor 18 leading fromthebinding post 17 to a battery or other source of sup Jly 19, and aconductor 20 leads 'from the battery 19 to a binding post 21 similar tothe post 17 and a conductor 22 leads from the post 21 to a contact 23 ofa 'switch 24, a conductor leading from the switch 2 1 to that bindingpost of motor 9 opposite the binding post with which conductor 16connects. i Thi s, when switch 24, which is of the spring type, ispressed laterally sufliciently to touch the contact 23, the circuitisclosed through the several parts just described for supplying current tomotor 9, and thereupon, the disk 11 is caused to revolve.

The switch 24 and contact 23 are supported by and insulated .from across bar 26 fired to the outer edges of the sides of case 6, and asimilar cross bar 27 'is similarly arranged above the bar 26. Fixed toand projecting inwardly from the inner face of bar 27 are brackets 23-28from which is Suspended an arm 29, the said arm having laterallyextending fingers 30 at its upper end projecting across and resting uponthe brackets 28, each finger 30 being preferably provided with-a knifeedge for enabling the i arm 29 to remain vertical when free, and toreadily Swing laterally upon said knife edges as pivots when subjectedto lateral pressure. A horse-Shoe magnet 31 is disposed for having itsarms inclose the greater portion of the arm 29, and plates 32 and 33 arebolted together as indicated at 33'--33', the bolts 33' passing throughthe material of the arm 29, of course, efiectively fixing plates 32 tosaid arm, and the outer end portions of the plates extend on relativeopposite sides of the respective arms of the horseshoe magnet 31, andare firmly clamped thereagainst when the bolts 33' are threaded home.Thus the horse-Shoe magnet 31 is free to swing therewith, it being theintent and purpose to have the plates 32 engage the arms of the magnet31 at those points which represent the transverse line of balance of themagnet, so that that portion of the magnet 31 above the plates 32 weighsapproximately the same as those portions of the arms of the said magnetbelow said plates. Hence, there is no natural tendenoy to overbalance ineither direction, and the magnet is elfectively Suspended and pivotallysupported to Swing freely, the main portion of arm 29 being disposedcentrally in the width and thickness of the magnet as indicated clearlyin Fig. 2, for preventing any overbalance in the direction of thethickness'of the magnet 31. I p

Merely as a matter of facility of construction and operation, the lowereXtremity of arm 29 is extended below the magnet as indicated at 34,extending down past the spring switch 24: in position for pressing thesame outwardly into contact with contact point 23, when the arm has itslower portion swung outwardly. It is to be observed, that the lowerextremities of the arms of the magnet 31 are approximately in thehorizontal planes of disk 3, and the disk is so dispgsedas to besufficiently beyond the field of the magnet, when the' disk is in itsoutermost position, to allow the ,magnet 'to remain* vertical, and whenthe disk is pressed inwardly, it enters said'field, and becomingmagnetized, causes the lower portion of the magnet 31, in its effort toshorten the magnetic lines of force, to move outwardly, thereby movingthe arm 29 and closing the contact between switch 24 and contact piece23.

A lever 35 is pivoted to bar 26, and has its outer portions extendingthrough a slot in one side of case 6, so as to provide an appropriatehandle for manual manipulation. The inner portion of the lever 35,terminates in a soft iron piece or piece of other appropriate materialadapted to serve as a keeper 36 for the magnet 31, the lever 35 beingpivoted in position for causing the keeper to move up to a positioneXtending across the poles of the magnet when the lever 35 is depressedfrom the outside of the case 6. hen the said keeper 36 is disposedacross the poles of the magnet, the device is maintained positively outof operation, and the disk 3 is incapable of influencing the magnet, sothat contact cannot be made between switch 2-1 and contact point 23 solong as the keeper 36 Contacts with the poles of the magnet. r

Segmental slides 37 are pivotally connected as at 38 to the back of thecase 6, the aXis of the pivot of these slides being connected with theaXis of revolution of disk 11. Said slides are provided with Operatingknobs or handles 39 adapted to be grasped manually for moving the slidespivotally toward and away from each other. The back of the case 6 is cutaway at its lowerportion for leaving an opening, indicated at 40, forenabling ready inspection of the lower portion of the rear 'face of thedisk 11, and the slides 37 are employedto Supplement the back to enableconcealiug variable portions of the disk. An. arrow or other insignia,as indicated at 41, is painted or otherwise displayed on the rear faceof the disk 11, and it is the object of the slides to render it more orless difficult to cause the arrow 4-1 to show when the disk 11 ceasesrevolving at any given time. For instance, if the slides 37 are movedupwardly to their widest open position, nearly one-half of the rear faceof the disk is eX- posed, and there will, therefore, be much moreopportunity for the arrow to be exposed when the disk ceases to revolvethan would be the case if the slides 37 wereadjusted downwardly' towardeach other until there was only sufiicient space between them for-thewidth of thearrow. The former condition might be considered that of themaximum chance, and the latter, that of the `minimum. Obviously, anunlimited number of variations in the possible chances of maximum andminimum is made possible by varable adjustments, and relativeadjustments of the slides 37. V

It is believed that the operation of the invention will be obvious from,the f oregoing,

and it is apparent, of course, that the structure lS adapted fornumerous uses, such, for nstance, as that of advertising a particularbrand `of goods, as, for example, theistore-` keeper 'might offer 25%reduction from the sale price of certain goods if a customer could makethe arrow show. Such an apparatus* in front of the shop-window wouldnaturally interest passers-by, who only need to press the button 5, andthereupon the circuit for the motori), being closed by the action ofthemagnet 31, disk ll would be revolved. Upon releasing the button, theoperatorwould naturally be curious to know whether he had succeeded inmaking the ar row show, and to learn this fact, he would have to'go intothe store and look at the 'real: of the apparatus,which would have theeifect of bringing him into the place of business and of giving him anopportunity to see the display of goods, which he prob ably would nothave taken ,the time to note had his attention not been drawnby the advertising apparatus. Of course, `the percentage of discount to beallowed as an in:

ducement would naturally be varied according to the distances apart ofthe'slides 37, since the chances of having to allow' the discount wouldbe proportionally varied.. Ob-

viously, the apparatus is adapted for many other uses, such as, forinstance, a child s game apparatus with appropriate rules for governingthe number of times the button could be pressed by any one operator withthe' greatest number of exposures of, the arrow as the Winning score. i4 i l. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination, of aglass plate of a show window, of a movable advertising device on theinside of the plate, and means at the outside of the plate forcontrolling movements of the advertising device.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination, with animperforate plate, of a movable advertising device at one side of theplate, an electrical motor for actuating said advertising device, andmeans at the opposite side of the plate for effecting a closing of thecircuit of the motor.

3. In an apparatusof the classdescribed,

the combination, with an imperforate plate,

of a movable advertising device at oneside of the plate, an electricalmotor at the same side of the plate for actuating the advertisingdevice, and means at the other side of the plate for controlling themaking and breaking of the circuit of the motor.

4; In a display apparatus, the combination with an imperforate plate,shiftable display means at one side of the plate, a motor for actuatingthe display means, and means on the other side of the plate from thedisplay means adapted to act through the plate for controllingOperations of the display means. I 5. In display apparatus, with a plateof glass, movabledisplay means at one side of the glass plate, the glassplate being imperforate, and means at the other sideofthe glassplateadapted to act through the-plate for controlling movements of thedisplay means through theglass platc.

6. In display apparatus, movable display 1neans, a switch forcontrolling movements thereof, a magnet for positionng the switch, and adisk'of magnetic material spaced from and movable into and out 'of thefield of'the magnet foreffecting'switch" actuating movements' of themagnet.

7. In display apparatus, the combination with an imperforate,non-magnetic plate, a

the combination magnet at one sideof the plate, and a disk i of magneticmaterialat the other side of the plate shftably, mounted and disposedtobe shifted relative tolth'e field of the magnet for actuating themagnet.`

` 8. In a" device of the class describ`ed, the combination, with animperforate plate, of

ahousing fixed thereto, an armature shift-` able in ,the housingtowardand away froni the :plate.a spring disposed between the plate andarmature for pressing the arma-f ture away from the'plate, and a magnetdisposed at the oppositegside of `the plate in position for beinginfiuenced relative'to rear of the plate, an indicator adapted tobe'positioned by the movable element and visible only at the rear of theplate, and means at the front of the plate for effecting movement' ofthe movable element.

10. In apparatus of the class described, the combination, with asupport, of a movable element sustained thereby, and visible at thefront of the support, an indicator adapted to be positioned by themovable element, concealed from View at the front of the support andvisible at the rear thereof, and means for moving the movable element.

11. In apparatus of the class described, the combination, with asupport, a disk revolubly carried by the support, and visible from thefront of the support, means disposed in front of the support foractuating the disk, and an indicator carried ,by the disk, and visibleonly from the rear of the support.

12. In apparatus of the class described, the combination, with asupport, of a disk movably carried by the support, and visible at thefront of the support, means for actuating the disk, means at the frontof the support for controlling the actuation of the disk, and anindcator at the rear of the disk visible only at the rear of thesupport, and means for varying the range of Visual display of theindicator.

el3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination, With asupport, of a revolubly mounted disk carried thereby and visible at thefront of the support and also visible at the rear of the support, thedisk bearing an jindicator at its rear face visible at the rear of thesupport but invisible at the front of the support, mean s for revolvingthe disk, and means for concealing variable portions of the disk at therear of thesupport.

14:. In apparatus of the' class described, the combination, With asupport, of a disk revolublv carried thereby and Visible at the front ofthe support, an indicator on the rear face of the disk invisible fromthe front of the support, means at the front of the trolling actuation'of the disk, and a slide for concealing variable portions of the disk atthe rear of the support, the slide being pivotally mounted to Swingabout an aXis alined With the aXis of rotation' of the disk.

V 16. In, apparatus of the class described, the combination, With asupport of a revolubly mounted disk, visible at the front and rear ofthe support, means 'for actuating the copies of this patent may be'obtained for disk, means at the front of the support for from the frontof the support, and a plurality of slides disposed in the rear of thedisk and adaptedto be coperatively slid to various positions'in the rearof the disk for concealing Variable portions of the y disk from therear. I

17. In apparatus of the class described, the combination, With atransparent plate, of a pivotally pendent arm, a horse-Shoe magnetinclosing the arm and supported thereby, the magnet being disposed atone side of the plate, and an armature at the other side of the plateadapted to be moved relatively to the field of the magnet for moving themagnet.

18. In apparatus of the class described,

the combination, With a support, and a transparent plate in front of thesupport, of an arm pivotally pendent from the support, a horse-Shoemagnet eXtending longitudinally of and inclosing a `portion 'of the arm,means clamping the magnet to the arm, thearm having a projectioneXtending beyond the magnet, a switch'in the path of the movement ofsaid projection, and an armature at the opposite side of a transparentplate from the magnet and disposed to be moved-With respect to the fieldof the magnet for efiecting movements of the magnet. In testimonyWhereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

p v CLIFFOR-D G. MILLER. VVitnesses: EDGAR M. KITGHIN, R. M. PARKER.

five cents each, by addressing the "Commissoner of Patents, Washington,I). C."

